Ngugi wa Thiong’o, one of Kenya’s most famous authors and a giant of African literature, passed away on Wednesday at age 87. His daughter broke the news on X.
“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our dad, Ngugi wa Thiong’o this Wednesday morning,” wrote Wanjiku Wa Ngugi.
“He lived a full life, fought a good fight,” she added.
Why Ngugi was so iconic
Ngugi became famous not just for his writing, but for a revolutionary decision he made. He stopped writing in English and switched to his native Kikuyu language instead. This was a big deal because most African writers at the time wrote in European languages. His choice sent a powerful message about African pride and identity after countries gained independence from colonial rule.
People immediately began sharing tributes online. Martha Karua, a prominent Kenyan politician, wrote:
“My condolences to the family and friends of Professor Ngugi wa Thiongo, a renowned literary giant and scholar, a son of the soil and great patriot whose footprints are indelible.”
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His troubles with the Government
Ngugi’s writing often criticised those in power, which got him in serious trouble. In 1977, the Kenyan government threw him in prison without even charging him with a crime. His offence? He had helped create a play called “Ngaahika Ndeenda” (“I Will Marry When I Want”) that criticised how Kenya was being run after independence.
The international human rights group Amnesty International stepped in, calling him a “prisoner of conscience” – someone jailed for their beliefs, not for committing actual crimes. After a worldwide campaign demanding his freedom, he was released from Kenya’s maximum security prison in December 1978.
Life in exile
Even after getting out of prison, Ngugi wasn’t safe. In 1982, when the Kenyan government banned theatre groups, he realised he needed to leave the country. He went into exile, first living in Britain and then moving to the United States.
“Thank you, Mwalimu (teacher) for your freedom writing,” wrote Amnesty International’s Kenya branch on X on Wednesday.
“Having already earned his place in Kenyan history, he transitions from mortality to immortality,” it said.
His most famous work
In 1986, while living in exile, Ngugi published “Decolonising the Mind,” a collection of essays that became one of his most influential works. The book explored how language shapes the way people think about their culture, history, and identity – ideas that were at the heart of everything Ngugi believed in.
